Asean urged to take on Big Tech after Meta’s record payout

Calls are growing for Asean to collectively tackle Big Tech platforms responsible for spreading scams and harmful content, fueled by Meta Platforms’ record US$18 billion US settlement last week. The settlement led to sweeping changes in Instagram and Facebook, such as default time limits and content restrictions, in response to allegations that the platforms harmed children's mental health.

Philippine advocacy group Scam Watch Pilipinas urged the Southeast Asian bloc to prioritize platform accountability, noting that individual countries' enforcement reach is limited due to the power of technology giants. Analysts believe the US settlement strengthens the case for Asean governments to demand similar safeguards but caution that it isn't a replicable template for the region.

However, the agreement with Meta helped secure safety protocols commitments, including age verification, parental controls, faster takedowns, and cooperation with law enforcement. Despite Meta's protocols effectiveness remaining to be seen, experts consider this a turning point that could prompt other governments to demand change.

While Asean's digital cooperation mechanisms focus on phone calls and SMS, they don't cover scams via social media and OTT services. The bloc's guidelines, which aim to address scams and other issues, are non-binding, and Asean's consensus-based approach and middle-ground stance make it difficult to introduce legally binding rules for Big Tech companies.